Longtime readers of our annual Bargain Bites special issue will notice a few changes in this year's guide.

Instead of broadly highlighting our favorite cheap eats across the Bay Area, we sent staffers in search of the top five bargains in nearly 20 categories, from all-American fare like burgers and sausages to ethnic favorites like ramen and banh mi.

It was a gut-busting assignment - imagine pitting more than a dozen al pastor tacos against each other - but we narrowed it to five go-to spots in each group. And thanks to new categories like taquerias and dumplings, many of the places listed have never appeared in Bargain Bites before.

San Francisco dominated the overall listings, and yet the city was nearly shut out in a few categories.

We trekked all the way to the South Bay, an area normally outside our coverage range, to find the most satisfying bowls of ramen. Our hunt for standout taquerias, meanwhile, led us not to the Mission, but south to Redwood City and north to Napa.

We were looking for quality and consistency - just being cheap wasn't enough. And while we were willing to pay an extra dollar or two for premium meats and vegetables, we had to be able to taste the difference.

And boy, was there a noticeable difference when we started comparing items head-to-head. For all the restaurants you'll find here, we rejected dozens of others that simply didn't stack up.

Remember: For a restaurant to be considered a bargain, most of the entrees have to be $12 or less. And if even that seems steep, there are plenty of deals in the $5 range, and some for even less than $3.

Of course, everybody has a favorite burger joint and Thai takeout spot, and we're always on the search for new bargains. So please send your suggestions to food@sfchronicle.com.